Vaastu: The balance for well-being and better life

If I'm asked to define Vaastu, my answer would be It is the science of creating environment, you live in. Vaastu is purely a functional concept about how to live in a particular environment and it should only be treated that way.

Is my home effected by Vaastu Dosh?

This is one question I face every day. First of all, we have to get rid of the myths prevailing about Vaastu. There is no likelihood that if house is not constructed according to Vaastu, residents will fail in life. It should be noted that Vaastu is not a hard and fast set of rules, but rather a design guideline. Just like yoga does, peace of mind has been regained by most homeowners because of balancing energies via Vaastu. 

Most people consider Vaastu only after buying their plot. That is why most of the time they face typical Vaastu issues despite everything in the house being at the right place. According to Vaastu Shastra, plots should be selected carefully, to channelise the harmonious energy in one’s lives. If we had already bought the land without any Vaastu concern, the negative impact of that plot can be rectified, as suggested by Vaastu experts. Remedies, can be resorted to, based on expert advice, to correct Vaastu doshas. For example, south-facing homes are generally considered inauspicious. However, the truth is Vaastu shastra does not specify a particular direction as being good or bad. Vaastu suggests some auspicious options. For instance, “Dhaanya Veedhi” or good compliance is given to a plot of land which has its natural slant towards north and is supposed to give all-round prosperity and health, while land sloping towards South and West is highly inauspicious. Plots with their natural slant towards the western and southern axis are also known as “Bhoota Veedhi” meaning bad directional slants. Levels of plots are to be higher in the South and West when contrasted with the North and East. 

Vaastu is not a myth or a superstition as many in the modern world would like to believe. It is purely nonbiased to religion, belief, colour or financial status. It's never a marketing gimmick. The art of Vaastu shastra radiates positivity and wellness. It literally means the ‘Science of space’ and is rightfully so. No wonder the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur introduced the principles of Vaastu in their curriculum for students of Architecture, research scholars and those pursuing post-graduation. The institute authorities proclaim that one cannot be a “well-rounded architect” unless one knows the basics of Vaastu. Vaastu has a good foundation of nature's laws, but needs to be re-interpreted to suit modern times, and then adapted.

Is your home Vaastu-complaint?

Simple Vaastu remedies are possible for wrong rooms and wrong entrances without demolition. Proper study of the house plan and approaching it systematically will provide solutions and guarantee results. Without demolishing and with simple techniques I had helped several families in organizing their home Vaastu. Whether it’s traditional, trendy, or contemporary the main purpose behind home designs is to bring happiness in the space we live in, and a large part of happiness revolves around positivity.

It is said that human life has got different stages as we grow. The concept is applicable to building too. It goes through Balya, Kaumara, Yauvana, Vardhakya and Marana. When a house reaches Vardhakya people plan to get it demolished. But I believe demolition is a choice, not a solution. Recently I got the opportunity to restore a 100+ year old building in Thiruvananthapuram. I could bring it back to its balya dasha and now the building catches the attention of several people in the capital city of Kerala.

The central idea of Vaastu Shastra is that it has rules and directions on how to properly plan your house so that it meets with the balance of nature. The positive energy attained, helps us to do better in our work and live a fuller life. Most builders today offer ‘Vaastu’ compliant homes so now you can conveniently choose the right location and entrance of your new home as per Vaastu. With minimum alterations and planning you can effectively design your new home and cultivate the positive benefits of Vaastu.

While constructing a house, total perimeter also plays an important role. Vaastu is so flexible and adaptable strictly following the standard fundamentals of nature. Advanced tests like Sand replacement method for soil's bearing capacity in engineering had been already mentioned in Vaastu shastra. A lot of people living in apartments think that in their case Vaastu doesn't matter because their houses are not touching the ground. But Vaastu doesn’t work that way. Vaastu shastra for flats is something that finds its roots in the ancient architectural compendium. No matter how many floors up you are, you’re still connected to the ground.

In a nutshell according to Vaastu Shastra your home should be the antidote to stress not the cause of it. Normally I instruct my clients to go with the best possible plan without following Vaastu if they don't firmly believe in it. I never insist on nor keep on convincing them to go as per Vaastu.

Remember you can't change the direction of the wind, but you can adjust your sails to always reach the destination. Never hesitate to seek an expert’s guidance that can help you transform your home into an abode that is filled with positive energy throughout the day.

The columnist Er. Unnikrishnan K. alias Vaastugriham Unnikrishnan is a practising Civil Engineer and one of the renowned Vaastu Advisers in South India. He recently received the “Bharat Sevak” honour from Bharath Sevak Samaj (BSS is a national development agency, Promoted by Planning Commission, Govt of India, established in 1952) for blending traditional Vaastu knowledge to the modern-day construction engineering and imparting skill development training to the community of Civil Engineers and Building Designers. Unique Eye Builders, spearheaded by him has completed around 250 projects including Star Hotel & residential projects. Er. Unnikrishnan is now authoring a book based on the principles of Vaastu shastra and modern-day engineering.

Contact: http://www.uniqueeyehomes.com